This is the time when almost everyone celebrates. Some of
us celebrate Hanukkah, others Solstice or Christmas or one
of the other traditions, and almost everyone celebrates the
New Year. Whatever tradition you follow, this is a time for
reflection, renewal, affirmation and joy.
I understand that on his deathbed, Goethe's last words
were, "More light!" and on these dark winter mornings, I
agree!
The combination of our traditional celebrations and the
start of a New Year make this a natural time to review the
past and preview the future. After all, even the sun is
coming back! (My apologies to our readers in the
Southern Hemisphere--your time will come in June!)
Through the year, we work. We are busy and have so much
"stuff" to do that it is easy to lose our way. It's easy to
take loved ones for granted and neglect our values in the
rush to get through the day. I often think the best gift of
the holidays is time to slow down, decorate our homes,
share with loved ones, eat cookies and remember our roots.
Too much of life is distracted by the rush and noise of
daily living. We lose our way and forget our most important
goals and priorities. When that happens, we often criticize
ourselves and when that happens, I usually encourage
clients to “Stop that!” I think the self-criticism is a
waste of time, and it can become a way to avoid starting
again and moving in the direction you truly want to go.
I'm no sailor or pilot, but I love the reality that ships
and planes are off-course almost the entire time they are
traveling to their destination. Wind and currents and human
failures and a thousand "little things" constantly toss
them off-course.
Isn't that how life really is? We have a destination, of
course. We have values and desires, and we know our
ultimate goals, but much of the time we are tossed by the
winds and currents of life. We are swamped with a project
at work, or an illness at home. We get caught up in a hobby
or forget to say "I love you" as much as we should. That's
not "good," of course, but I think it is real life. We are
simply ships and planes, doing the best we can and being
tossed around a bit.
The difference is that sailors and pilots are never
surprised or discouraged or "lost" because a gust of wind
knocks them off-course. They simply adjust and keep right
on going and (this is important) almost every ship and
plane eventually finds the right harbor or lands at the
right airport. We should learn from that.
This holiday season, take time to review and affirm your
course in life. Take time to shop and do all the "stuff"
you have to do--that part is important--but in the midst of
the hoopla, sit down with a pen and paper to review and
remember your roots, your loved ones and your values.
Take a moment to review and re-affirm your goals and chart
a new course. If you've gotten a bit distracted, so what?
If you've been tossed and blown away from your major goals,
note that fact, plot a solution and get back to work. A New
Year is about to begin, and the sun is coming back! Start
over, start again. Even nature says it's a time for new
beginnings.
us celebrate Hanukkah, others Solstice or Christmas or one
of the other traditions, and almost everyone celebrates the
New Year. Whatever tradition you follow, this is a time for
reflection, renewal, affirmation and joy.
I understand that on his deathbed, Goethe's last words
were, "More light!" and on these dark winter mornings, I
agree!
The combination of our traditional celebrations and the
start of a New Year make this a natural time to review the
past and preview the future. After all, even the sun is
coming back! (My apologies to our readers in the
Southern Hemisphere--your time will come in June!)
Through the year, we work. We are busy and have so much
"stuff" to do that it is easy to lose our way. It's easy to
take loved ones for granted and neglect our values in the
rush to get through the day. I often think the best gift of
the holidays is time to slow down, decorate our homes,
share with loved ones, eat cookies and remember our roots.
Too much of life is distracted by the rush and noise of
daily living. We lose our way and forget our most important
goals and priorities. When that happens, we often criticize
ourselves and when that happens, I usually encourage
clients to “Stop that!” I think the self-criticism is a
waste of time, and it can become a way to avoid starting
again and moving in the direction you truly want to go.
I'm no sailor or pilot, but I love the reality that ships
and planes are off-course almost the entire time they are
traveling to their destination. Wind and currents and human
failures and a thousand "little things" constantly toss
them off-course.
Isn't that how life really is? We have a destination, of
course. We have values and desires, and we know our
ultimate goals, but much of the time we are tossed by the
winds and currents of life. We are swamped with a project
at work, or an illness at home. We get caught up in a hobby
or forget to say "I love you" as much as we should. That's
not "good," of course, but I think it is real life. We are
simply ships and planes, doing the best we can and being
tossed around a bit.
The difference is that sailors and pilots are never
surprised or discouraged or "lost" because a gust of wind
knocks them off-course. They simply adjust and keep right
on going and (this is important) almost every ship and
plane eventually finds the right harbor or lands at the
right airport. We should learn from that.
This holiday season, take time to review and affirm your
course in life. Take time to shop and do all the "stuff"
you have to do--that part is important--but in the midst of
the hoopla, sit down with a pen and paper to review and
remember your roots, your loved ones and your values.
Take a moment to review and re-affirm your goals and chart
a new course. If you've gotten a bit distracted, so what?
If you've been tossed and blown away from your major goals,
note that fact, plot a solution and get back to work. A New
Year is about to begin, and the sun is coming back! Start
over, start again. Even nature says it's a time for new
beginnings.
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